One of the main purposes of mindfulness is to awaken all our senses and become consciously aware, so that we feel alive and brimming with vitality in the present moment.

When our senses are alert and our attention is focused on the present moment, we experience how it feels to truly exist in the here and now.

We can start each day in this peaceful and invigorating state of being by carrying out a simple chakra-balancing meditation while showering and therapeutically cleansing the body, mind, and soul. Meditation doesn’t just involve sitting cross-legged on the floor; it can be done anywhere and at any time by engaging the mind and setting the intention to be fully in the moment.

Water is a conductor for emotional energy and is naturally grounding, as it calms, heals, cleanses, restores, and revitalizes us when we are feeling hypersensitive, overwhelmed, or at odds with the world or ourselves. This is why many people have a longing to be next to the sea—either viewing it, listening to it, or swimming in it—and choose to meditate near lakes, taking in the soothing, calming, and balancing elements.

To carry out a chakra-balancing meditation, we focus on the location of each chakra—and at the same time visualize the colour associated with it. The colours of the chakras are the same as the colours of the rainbow, starting with red at the base of the spine (the root chakra) and moving up to violet at the top of the head (the crown chakra). We focus attention on one colour at a time for a minute or two, visualising the colour of the water changing into the seven colours of the chakras, starting at the base of the spine and working up through the center of the body.

To begin the meditation, adjust the temperature of the shower, so that the water feels comfortable against the skin—not too hot or too cold.

Step into the shower, and as you feel the water on your skin, remember that you are made of approximately 70 percent water; be one with the water, and sensually merge with it’s flow.

Wherever there is tension in the body, imagine that golden light is heating up and warming the muscles, and inhale deeply. When we release tension, our energy is free to flow. On the outward breath, release—and notice whatever areas you may be holding pressure in your body. Then, let the grip go.

Continue to breathe slowly and deeply—and as the body feels more relaxed, allow any persistent or repetitive thoughts to float away.

Close your eyes (if it feels safe to do so) and immerse in the feeling of the water soaking the body; bring the senses alive by paying attention to the sensation of the skin as the water absorbs into it. Notice the scent and texture of the soap used and the sound of the water trickling down.

As the soap and water cleanses the skin, we can envisage our anxieties, stress, and worries being washed away and swirling down the drain, clearing out the past and removing any negative energy we may have been carrying.

Then, inhale deeply while visualising a golden ray of light flowing with the water and entering your body through your crown chakra at the top of your head. Imagine the golden light circulating through your entire body, reaching all areas—the shoulders, fingertips, and down to the toes.

The first chakra to focus on is the root chakra, so move attention to the area at the base of the spine and visualise the water changing colour, so that it is now flowing the colour red. The root chakra is our earth element and relates to security, stability, balance, identity, and feeling grounded. It is also connected to survival and generates our fight-or-flight response. Balancing the root chakra is known to reduce stress. When this chakra is flowing freely it stabilizes and regulates energy throughout all of the chakras.

The second chakra to focus on is the sacral/spleen chakra, which is located in the pelvic area just beneath the navel. It is associated with the colour orange and relates to emotions, feelings, desire, sexuality, and creativity. Visualise the water now changing to orange; the hues from this colour balance and awaken energy and help us to remain grounded, release emotional blockages, promote confidence, boost energy, heighten creativity, enhance sexuality, embrace happiness, and eliminate negativity.

The third chakra to locate is known as the solar plexus chakra and is situated in the upper abdomen, just above the pubic bone. It is associated with the colour yellow and is related to our personality, intellect, emotions, willpower, self-esteem, self-expression, and digestion. Imagine the water changing to the colour yellow, as this is believed to cleanse and dispel negativity, alleviate depression, rejuvenate energy, and shield and protect the aura from absorbing negative emotions.

The next chakra to focus on is the fourth chakra, known as our heart chakra, which is located at the center of the chest, just above the heart. This chakra identifies with the colour green, so as the green water flows, it enhances universal love, compassion, forgiveness, and promotes letting go, healing, tranquility, and our general well-being. It also helps us to understand our relation to everything that assists us to love and accept one another unconditionally. Visualising its green glow can heighten empathy, alleviate anxiety, help with forgiveness, promote compassion, transmute pain and fear into love, enhance unconditional love, and heal emotional wounds.

The fifth chakra is known as our throat chakra, as it is located in the throat area. It is associated with the colour blue, so we can now imagine the water turning to a beautiful shade of blue, which is associated with speech, truth, integrity, authenticity, expression, and communication. The colour blue is believed to be healing, calming, peaceful, harmonious, and improves clear communication.

The sixth chakra to bring our attention to is known as our third-eye chakra and is located at the center of the forehead, between the eyebrows. This chakra is associated with the colour indigo, and as the water changes colour again, we will receive enhanced perception, foresight, intuition, imagination, insight, discernment, and inner knowledge. When this chakra is open, we become more awakened, consciously aware, and can clearly see both our inner and our outer worlds with clarity. Indigo is known to calm the mind, enhance rational thought, promote clarity, heighten spiritual love, promote inspiration, and help us connect to our higher self.

The seventh chakra to focus attention on is known as our crown chakra and is is located at the top of the head. It is associated with the colour violet, so as the water changes to violet, we can receive enhanced awareness, spirituality, wisdom, and consciousness. This chakra’s violet glow has an accepting, compassionate, forgiving, and highly intelligent hue that is transformational as it provides us with a powerful spiritual energy that enhances all aspects of our lives.

The frequencies emanating from the colours on the visual spectrum are believed to cleanse and purify our system in different ways so that we can be free from toxic emotional, mental, spiritual, and physical blockages.

After visualising each colour, continue to inhale and exhale deeply and imagine pure brilliant white light streaming from the shower, with the rays covering the entire body to gently seal and protect the energetic body (the aura).

It is essential that our chakras remain open so that energy can flow through them, because when we have energetic blockages, we may be left feeling fatigued. Indulging in this shower meditation as often as possible helps ensure that that doesn’t happen.

This meditation can feel intense at times, so we should take a few moments to rinse our skin under the normal flow of water to ensure we do not feel light-headed or spaced out while leaving the shower. If we do feel light-headed at any time, end the meditation early.

When we have finished the shower meditation, we can express gratitude for our body, the gift of water, and our calm state of mind. Say out loud, “Thank you. I am cleansed and prepared for the day ahead.” Or, if it is an evening shower, we can express gratitude for the day’s experiences.

The chakra colours radiate brilliant, warm, harmonious, loving light and high-vibrational healing energy. By infusing the frequencies of light emanating from the seven chakra colours, we pull high-vibrational energy into our energy field that penetrates our thoughts, feelings, intentions, and physical body. We transmute any negativity in our system into vital, abundant, positive energy that vibrates highly, while also removing blockages so that our energy flows freely.

Visualizing each of the seven colours can help us to heal old wounds, clear karmic energy of past mistakes, erase tormenting memories, and free us from the heavy emotional loads we are carrying.

It is beneficial to continue to focus on breathing deeply as we go through the day. When we inhale, we take in natural energy from the earth and will feel it flowing through each part of our body and up through our chakras; and as we exhale, we let go of any tension and negativity, while releasing any excess emotions and dense energy that we may have absorbed.

When we have finished the meditation, we will likely feel calmer and energetically lighter, as we will have cleansed our aura and grounded ourselves.

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Relephant:

A Beginner’s Chakra Meditation to Unleash your Untapped Potential.

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Author: Alex Myles
Image: Flickr/new 1lluminati
Editor: Yoli Ramazzina
Copy editor: Callie Rushton